Walking the Camino Frances in sections allows you to enjoy beautiful open views like this one

Walking the Camino Francés in Sections

Can’t do the full Camino at once? Break it up by walking the Camino Francés in sections

When most people imagine walking the Camino de Santiago, they think of a long pilgrimage – a single epic trek across northern Spain from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela. That’s the Camino Francés, the most well-known route. It spans roughly 780 kilometers (around 500 miles) and takes the average pilgrim about five weeks to complete. But here’s the thing: you can also make this journey over time, walking the Camino Francés in sections.

Many folks manage to walk the Camino Francés in one go (and hats off to them!). But what if you can’t take five weeks off work? Or you have a family, or other commitments back home? Or maybe walking for 30+ days just sounds a little overwhelming?

If any of that resonates, then section hiking the Camino Francés might be the perfect approach for you. That’s exactly how we started our own Camino journey in 2025. In this post, we’ll share why we chose to do it this way, how it works, and what to keep in mind if you’re thinking of doing the same.

What is Section Hiking?

Section hiking means breaking a long-distance trail into shorter, manageable legs, and tackling those over time, rather than all at once.

This approach is common on major trails around the world, including the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail in the United States, where it can take months (or more!) to hike the full route. But the same logic applies beautifully to the Camino.

Hiking the Camino de Santiago in Sections

Instead of one long five-week trip (which is really six weeks if you add in travel to/from and rest days), you walk the Camino Francés in sections. One section might be 10 days. Another could be two weeks. You finish each leg where it makes logistical sense – then come back another time to pick up where you left off.

Eventually, your sections connect, and you complete the full Camino, just over time.

Beautiful mountain views along the Camino Frances

This approach works beautifully for other Camino de Santiago routes too. If you’re dreaming of walking the Camino Portugués all the way from Lisbon (about 600km), breaking it into sections makes the journey much more approachable. The same goes for longer routes like the Camino del Norte or Via de la Plata, both of which span 800km or more. Just like with the Francés, you can walk each part when time allows – and eventually, your steps will carry you all the way to Santiago.

Why We’re Walking the Camino Francés in Sections

For us, walking the Camino Francés in sections came down to a mix of practical and personal reasons.

We wanted the full experience – to start in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and end in Santiago. But carving out five uninterrupted weeks just wasn’t realistic. Between jobs, other travel plans, and life in general, we knew we’d need to break the journey up.

Liz in the Pyrenees on our first section of the Camino Frances

Benefits of Section Hiking the Camino Francés

Here are some of the reasons section hiking the Camino Francés makes so much sense:

✅ It makes the full Camino doable

The idea of walking across Spain sounds incredible, but also kind of impossible. By breaking it into pieces, it goes from “no way” to “we can do this!” Even if your calendar is tight, you can make real progress each time you go.

✅ It’s easier on your body

Let’s be honest: walking 20-25 kilometers a day for five weeks straight is a physical feat. When you section hike, you give your body time to rest and reset between trips. You can build up your strength over time, rather than powering through exhaustion or risking injury.

✅ You get to refine your gear

Your first leg becomes a test run. You quickly figure out which shoes work (and which don’t), what you actually need in your pack, and what you could happily leave behind. When you return for the next section, you’re smarter and better prepped. By the time you finish, you’re a Camino packing pro!

✅ Different seasons, different vibes

Doing the Camino in pieces also means you can experience it across different times of year. From spring flowers, to long summer days, crisp autumn foliage, or even chilly winter walks, walking the Camino in parts invites the opportunity to walk through varied seasons.

Gorgeous wheat fields in the May sun along our first Camino Frances section

Each section has its own rhythm, and can sample them all based on your own planning and schedule.

And the Tradeoffs…

Of course, walking the Camino Francés in sections isn’t all upside. There are a few things to weigh before choosing this route.

❌ You lose some of the Camino family magic

One of the most beautiful things about the Camino is the community. When you walk the full route continuously, you meet people at the start, and you travel alongside them (off and on) all the way to Santiago. When you break up the walk, you don’t get that same continuity.

You may find yourself rejoining at a spot like Burgos or León, where pilgrims already have their groups. That said, the Camino is incredibly fluid – people start and stop at all kinds of places, take rest days, reroute, etc. Even on a continuous Camino, you’ll say goodbye to people all the time. It’s just part of the rhythm.

Plus, if you walk the Camino Francés in sections, this means you’ll make Camino friends each time you travel back to Spain. We think that’s a small bonus!

❌ Travel costs add up

Each time you go back to Spain, there are flights, trains, hotels. Section hiking means you’ll be paying those costs more than once, especially if you’re flying internationally.

Street art mural with "bienvenidos" written in bold color

One way to manage these costs is by tracking flight prices through platforms like Google flights, using airline points, or pairing some Camino Francés walking with another trip. Heading to Europe for a week of vacation? See if you can squeeze in a week of walking on the Camino Francés on the same trip. It’ll make the vacation afterward feel even more relaxing!

❌ You have to rebuild endurance and routine

Each time you start a new section of the Camino Francés, your body might go through that ouch phase all over again. It’s not insurmountable, but it’s good to be mentally prepared. You’re still walking 20-kilometer days, after all!

Steve enjoying walking the Camino Frances in sections

One great tip – whether you’re walking the Camino Francés in sections or all at once – is to ease in. Don’t go all-in with a 25-kilometer day on Day 1. Make your first few days on the lower range of your target distance per day, then build from there.

In a similar vein, each time you start up a section, you have to settle back into a daily Camino routine. Just like with distance, give yourself some grace, and allow a few days to settle into your daily rhythm.

❌ No finale at the end of each stage

When you stop a segment along the Camino Francés, you’re not at Santiago. Depending on how many sections you break the Camino Francés into, you may have 1 to 4 other “finishes” before you actually finish the Camino Francés in Santiago. That can feel a little anticlimactic.

Our tip? Make your own finale each time. When we finished our first section in Burgos, we walked straight to the incredible Gothic cathedral, grabbed gelato, and celebrated our success. It felt like a worthy ending – and a satisfying pause until we returned to the Camino.

How to Section Hike the Camino Francés

If walking the Camino Francés in sections sounds like a good fit, here’s how to make it work logistically. And one caveat: there are an infinite number of ways to break the Camino Francés into parts. In the end, do what works best for you – after all, that’s what the Camino is all about.

Choose natural start/end hubs

Your starting point for section hiking the Camino Francés will likely be Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France.

Some pilgrims start before this – for example, Lourdes, Le Puy, or (for some very eager Europeans), the country where they live. Some start further along, in Roncesvalles (the traditional starting point for Spaniards) or Pamplona.

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the traditional starting point of the Camino Frances

But the main starting point of the Camino Francés is in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and that’s where we recommend you start your Camino Francés journey. There’s a lot of Camino infrastructure here, and you really get to feel the buzz and excitement of starting your Camino Francés.

But where should you stop? Ideally, your end point for each section should be:

  • A major city or town along the route
  • Well-connected by train or bus
  • Easy to get to/from Madrid (which is likely your flight hub)

Some classic start/stop hubs (with distances and number of walking days between them):

CityDistance From PreviousWalking DaysTrain to Madrid
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Pamplona67 km3-4 days3 hours
Logroño96 km4-5 days4 hours
Burgos124 km5-6 days2 hours
León182 km8 days2 hours
Ponferrada103 km5 days4 hours
Sarria91 km5 days4 hours
Santiago de Compostela116 km5 days3 hours

Suggested Ways to Section Hike the Camino Francés

If you did each of these start/stop hubs, you’d walk the Camino Francés over 7 sections. But in reality, you’ll likely condense into fewer sections – somewhere between 2 to 5. That might look something like:

Two Sections

  • Segment 1: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port → León (20 days)
  • Segment 2: León → Santiago de Compostela (15 days)
    ➡️ Great if you can take two longer trips and want to experience the full route with just one restart point.

Three Sections

  • Segment 1: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port → Burgos (12 days)
  • Segment 2: Burgos → Ponferrada (13 days)
  • Segment 3: Ponferrada → Santiago de Compostela (10 days)
    ➡️ A balanced option that keeps each leg under two weeks, with logical hub cities in between.

Four Sections

  • Segment 1: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port → Logroño (7 days)
  • Segment 2: Logroño → León (13 days)
  • Segment 3: León → Sarria (10 days)
  • Segment 4: Sarria → Santiago de Compostela (5 days)
    ➡️ Breaks the route into approachable chunks, each under two weeks, with shorter first and last sections.

Five Sections

  • Segment 1: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port → Logroño (7 days)
  • Segment 2: Logroño → Burgos (6 days)
  • Segment 3: Burgos → León (8 days)
  • Segment 4: León → Sarria (10 days)
  • Segment 5: Sarria → Santiago de Compostela (5 days)
    ➡️ Ideal for slower travel or those who want to really savor each section over time.

No matter how you do it, in the end, you’ll finish the Camino Francés with roughly 35 days of walking – even if that walking occurs over a year, or multiple years.

Of course, how many days it takes depends on your preferred stage lengths. Some pilgrims average 20–25 kilometers per day, while others prefer shorter or longer walks. You can tailor each section to your desired walking timeframe and fitness level. We found Godesalco.com really helpful as we planned our sections.

How We’re Walking the Camino Francés in Sections

We started our Camino Francés journey in May 2025, walking from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Burgos. Our tentative plan is to finish in two more trips, for a total of three sections.

Of course, this is all subject to change based on our schedules and desires. And that’s the beauty of walking the Camino Francés over time – you can shift plans as you go.

Part 1 (May 2025): Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Burgos

Beautiful sunrise over Puente la Reina

We walked this section over 13 days – crossing the Pyrenees, through the rolling hills of Navarra and La Rioja, and into the historic heart of Castilla y León. We booked lodging ahead for the first week and stayed flexible after that. It was challenging but beautiful, and completely worth it.

Weather-wise, May can be questionable, but we were fortunate to enjoy sunny skies and warm (not hot) temperatures nearly every day. To be sure, we had ponchos and rain gear just in case.

Part 2: Burgos to [TBD – likely León or Astorga]

This will take us across the Meseta, a flatter, more meditative landscape. Some people skip this part, but we’re leaning in. We want the full arc.

Part 3: [TBD] to Santiago

This final stretch will take us through Galicia – misty forests, ancient villages, and that final walk into Santiago.

We haven’t planned it all yet – and that’s part of the joy of walking the Camino Francés over time. It all unfolds as you go.

It’s Okay to Not Walk the Camino Francés All at Once

Some people feel pressure to walk the Camino in one go. But here’s the thing: there’s no one right way to do this journey.

There’s a saying you’ll hear along the Camino: “My Camino is my Camino (and your Camino is your Camino).” Whether you walk the Camino Francés in four weeks, five weeks, or six weeks – or six years because that’s what your schedule allows – the spirit of the Camino is the same: reflection, connection, movement, and presence.

The message "buen camino" painted alongside a building on the Camino Frances route

So if you’re considering walking the Camino Francés but worried you “can’t do the whole thing,” let that go. Do the part you can do. Then come back for the next stretch. Keep going, in your own time, until one day you reach Santiago.

And that journey – in sections, in seasons, in starts and stops – will be your Camino story.

A Few More Tips for Walking the Camino Francés in Sections

Keep notes

Jot down where you left off, how many kilometers you’ve walked, and which albergues or towns you loved (or didn’t). These notes will make it easier to plan your next section. Maybe you’ll realize you prefer a private room every few nights, or that building in a lower-distance day helps your body recover.

Give yourself grace

Every time you start a new section, it might take a day or two to find your rhythm again. That’s normal. Don’t compare yourself to others – remember, this is your Camino.

Celebrate each leg

You may not be walking into Santiago just yet, but that doesn’t make your progress any less meaningful. Find ways to mark the end of each section – whether that’s a quiet moment at a cathedral, a meaningful meal, or just time to reflect. Each stretch is a milestone in your journey. And one day, they’ll all come together to form your Camino as a whole.

Wrapping Up

Walking the Camino Francés in sections isn’t a shortcut – it’s simply another beautiful way to experience this journey (and a lovely form of soft adventure travel). Whether you walk the whole thing in one go or spread it out over years, each step counts. Each stretch teaches you something new. And each return trip adds another layer to your personal Camino story.

A beautiful sunrise along the Camino Frances

Yes, you might say more goodbyes or carry your backpack on more flights. But you’ll also get to savor the Camino in different seasons, refine your rhythm, and create multiple meaningful chapters for one incredible adventure.

We’ll be sharing updates from each leg of our own Camino Francés journey, so feel free to check back periodically if you’d like to follow along or gather tips for planning your own.

Buen Camino! And here’s to walking it your way.

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